Twist Of Fate
by Jaxon The Jester
Summary: What would have happened had Gorion had more time to save Sarevok and not just Anna? How would their lives have differed? This is the tale of Sarevok and Anna. Note: This is being redone.


Twist of Fate Chapter 1

Version 1.1 Patch Notes:  
-Actually planned a story line instead of randomness -30% less emo-ness and Marysueish on Anna's part -Fleshed out co-stars-Killed off several plot points that were unneeded.  
-Needs more cowbell -Continuity of other stories I've done no longer apply.

"Horsey guy moves here!" The little girl sitting on several books to see the tabletop exclaimed as she moved the knight one square forward. "He gets to eat the castle." Her eyes lit up as she made eating sounds while shaking the knight in front of the rook. She stopped when she heard a sigh from her brother on the other side of the table. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you're just being a little kid."

"I'm five. I'm almost a grown up."

"You're only four and a half, Anna. You want a story?"

"Yeah, the one with dragons!" Sarevok couldn't help smiling at her obsession with dragons. Scooping her up, the two sat on the window sill as he read her "The Ugly Dragon". He had read this story to her dozens of times yet each time she reacted like it was the first. As they came to the end, in which the dragon char-boiled everyone who teased him, she smiled with cheer. "Can I change into a dragon when I get older?"

"Sorry, you'll always be as you are." He ruffled her hair.

"Dad could change. I heard her talking about it. She said he could change into anything he wanted but he took her as an elf. Where did he take her? She was very mad about it."

"He, er, took her dancing?" Sarevok stammer as he blushed. He was going to have to keep a closer eye on Anna, if their mother caught her while in her mood was fouler than usual, she might hurt Anna again.

"Dancing must be fun if she hates it! Can I go dancing?"

"No! Absolutely not! Dancing is very bad and um painful." He shut his mouth at her confused look. Hopefully she wouldn't remember this talk when she was older. Hopefully by time she was older their mother would stop her antagonistic behavior towards her. He almost laughed at the thought. No, their mother hated elves and half breeds with a fervor he didn't understand. Anna's mention of their father intrigued him. What creature could change forms like that? He had always wondered with her hatred of elves how Anna had been conceived. He wondered if their shape shifting father had something to do with the whispering he heard at night. They both heard it. Anna claimed it told her stories about being a princess. His promised him escape and power to protect or destroy as he wished. He looked down at his sister to find she had dozed off. The way she fell asleep at the drop of a hat amused him to no ends. Carrying her over to the bed, he was forced to share as their mother didn't want to spend money on one for her; he laid her down gently and tucked her in. Making sure the door to the room was locked; he opened the shutters and climbed down the drain pipe and out into the night.

Saradush was a thriving city in the middle of nowhere, as such; it had vices to be had. Sarevok enjoyed a few vices, gambling, drinking, he had not worked up the courage to try a whore but no one knew that, but fighting was his favorite. The pit fights were where a boy could earn gold fast. Where bored nobles and rich merchants placed bets on boys fighting and occasionally killing each other. However the greatest prize was not the money, no, sometimes these men needed "sons they only just found out about". As one of the oldest, his chances were running out, soon he wouldn't even be allowed to fight.

"Sarevok, haven't seen you for awhile." Markus, the old, kind grandfatherly looking man greeted him. No one ever would think he was the one who ran the pits, nor the one to dispose of the bodies; however, he would be thought of the type who "comforted" the losers.

"Anna's been sick lately." He commented as he stripped off his tunic and boots.

"Ha! I wouldn't be surprised if Alianna was poisoning her. Shame she has the captain in her pocket, among other places, I don't hold well with mothers like her." The old man spit in disgust as he placed the clothing in a box. "'course she is the reason I got you." He leered at the boy,

"Not now, not ever Markus."

"Ah, your protests hurt my pride. You're up with Lucian next round. He's been itching for you."

"Thanks." The fights were in full swing; men of all status were furiously betting and yelling with each hit. The floor was stained with blood, old and new and other bodily fluids. He watched dispassionately as two ten year olds pummeled each other. His eyes wandered over the crowd until they met with Lucian's. Like himself, Lucian was one of the oldest fighters and was by far the most brutal. Fights between them brought in the crowds and good money. There was something about him that angered Sarevok greatly. Each time they clashed, the urge to kill grew.

His fight seemed to take forever to be called. Entering the ring, he felt a sort of giddiness. The two boys circled each other, each waiting for the others attack. The crowd cheered as the boys finally attacked each other; the fight was brutal as they were equally matched. Blood, sweat, and tears drench them as they tried to find another's weakness. Finally it came and Sarevok managed choke hold on Lucian.

KILL. DESTROY HIM.

He smiled as he snapped the neck of his rival; he felt a rush of euphoria that turned to terror as a golden glow emanated from Lucian's body as it dissolved to dust. The crowd was wild, bets were being fought, screams of outrage, and claims of rules being broken filled the air. He found himself being hauled away to a very angry Markus.

"Sune's tits Sarevok! What were you thinking?"

"I didn't..." Think it would that easy. He snapped his mouth shut.

"Magic is strictly forbidden. I don't know what or how you cast that but you are out."

"I didn't do that. I don't know magic." His protest fell on deaf ear ears as he was hauled away. He managed to keep his balance as he was thrown out on the street, his belongings thrown at him. Anger and confusion warred inside; he wanted to hurt someone and to know how he did that.

He was half way home when two men stopped him. One was obviously a body guard; the other was covered in fine silks and enough gold to feed a family for a year. "I was informed you are one of the boys looking for a home. You impressed me back there." The man's voice reminded him of a slug, slimy and slick. He took an instant dislike to him. Then again, if this man could provide a decent home for Anna and himself, he would set aside his feelings.

"Yes I am one."

"I could use a boy like you, strong, ruthless and filled with raw talent. I cannot wait for my soon to be wife to produce on and I need an heir."

"What would happen if she gave you one after you adopt me?"

"My blood comes first; however, you will not be forgotten, I would employ instead. I am a very rich man and can afford it."

"I will accept on the condition my sister comes with me."

"Bah, I have no need of a daughter." The man bristled at the thought.

"Then I have no need of a father." Sarevok walked past them continuing home.

"When you tire of your sister come find me at the Rose Baize."

Sarevok was greeted by quite a scene when he climbed through the window. Anna was sitting at their play table in a white dress that looked brand new, her hair was braided with purple ribbons and in front of her was a feast. He looked at her in surprise and couldn't help smiling. Finally their mother was warming to her.

"Sarrey!" She smiled and ran to him for a hug. He picked her up and as he hugged her, he felt her wipe greasy hands on the back of his shirt.

"Anna!"

"You left, you're not allowed to leave." She looked at him sternly and wiggled out of his arms, handing him a plate full of broccoli. He grudgingly took it, causing her to giggle at the face he made as he ate it.

"So did a dragon bring all this?"

"Sorta. It was Mommy, she was smiling and happy. She gave me a hug!" She piled carrots on his plate and stole the piece of chicken he had just taken.

"That was nice of her. Eat some vegetables."

"Does cake count?"

"No." He stifled a laugh at the crestfallen look on her face as she a green bean.

"Mom said I could eat whatever I wanted since it's my last meal."

"Last meal for what?" A chill went down his spine as the voice at the back of his mind started laughing.

"I get tortured and sacrificed and get to met Daddy." The carrot he had picked up fell from his nerveless fingers.

"Do you know what those words me?" He couldn't help from asking, a morbid part of him wanted to know how twisted their mother was.

"She said tortured was a fancy for doing painting with a super special red paint and sacrificed means I get to sleep in a fancy bed of my own." He had to hand it to their mother; it was a twisted version of the truth. The bright and happy smile filled him with rage. How dare that woman do this. The whispering voice urged him to do the acts to her she had planned for Anna. "Wow, I want to do that! How'd you do that?" Anna's voice broke through his rage.

"Do what?"

"Your eyes are glowing. That's so neat." She scrunched her face up trying to copy him.

"Right." He pushed all thoughts other than fleeing out of his mind. "Hey, you want to go see a dragon?" Her bouncing gave him all the answer he need.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alianna had beaten them to the city gates along with several of her cronies. All of them were dressed in violet robes, some with black streaks in them but all with cowls that made them look empty while their mother had a sash of bright red and her black hair blew in the wind.

"I won't let you hurt her."

"I won't hurt her, I promised, didn't I, Anna? I'm just going to remove her organs." Her smile was motherly in all the ways little kids want to see and cling to. She opened her arms for her daughter run to. He barely caught his sister as she tried to run to her. He doubted she would have noticed the dagger in her hand until it was too late.

"Sarrey!" Anna tugged at his hand, confusion plain on her face. He let go of her suddenly, causing her to fall in a puddle barely missing the swing of her mother's dagger. Alianna was use to her victim's subdued; she had no defense as Sarevok grabbed her wrist and turned the dagger plunging it into her own chest. Her cronies were just as shocked but wasted no time in attacking. He felt such joy as he fought the others. The smell of blood was intoxicating and the cries of pain from them were like a symphony. His joy was disturbed by Anna's cries making him realize he had been stabbing the same corpse for some time. He was covered in blood and gore and the puddle she was sitting in was more blood than water.

"It's okay, everything's okay."

"Are you going to hurt me too?"

"No, never. I promise."

"So did Mommy."

In retrospect, leaving the city with no clear plan or supplies had not been his best idea. The desert had sapped their strength and left them helpless to more of the purple robed ones. The two had been beaten and chained to a wall, along with a dozen other children. All the children had visible bruises; some looked starved while others, if not for the slight movement of their chests, appeared to be dead. He held on to his sister as tightly as he could as he watched the people at the altar clearing away bodies of other children already sacrificed. He had watched them kill others younger than Anna, some had died normally, others had gold light pour from inside them burn them while one had completely turned into golden dust, just as Lucian had done. At least he knew who their father was now, the lord of murder, Bhaal. It did him no good except enrage him to know this. At any rate, they would not kill them, he had a plan. There came the sounds of fighting and screams in the distance.

"Harpers! Quick ki-" A man ran into the room shouting only to be cut off by an arrow through the throat. The robed ones became frantic with activity; one of them picked up a dagger and started killing the children with haste. As the fighting grew closer, the person hurried, finally reaching him. He managed to kick the person, causing the dagger to pierce his arm instead. Blood sprayed his face as a sword was thrust through their chest. A man stood before him, holding the bloody sword. Sarevok tried to strike out but his attack was brushed aside.

"Hold still, I'm here to help." He searched the dead cultist and pulled out a ring of keys. "I'm not one of them; I'll get you to safety."

"Help my sister first." The man tried several keys until he found the right one. As he turned to Sarevok's the ground shook with great force. A man ran up to grab at this savior's shoulder.

"They're trying to bring down the temple on our heads. We need to go!" The man dropped the keys and hurriedly pick them back up. "Leave him, we need to go." Ignoring him, he tried a key at random and to their surprised it worked. Sarevok picked up his sister, struggling to hold her with his uninjured arm.

"Give her to Everard, he can carry her faster than you." The falling debris forced him to accept.

"Sarrey!" Anna shrieked in fear.

"It'll be okay, everything will be okay! I'll see you in a little bit, I promise." He felt a foreboding as he looked over his shoulder as he ran.

Everard look down at the sleeping child in his arms. It looked like a normal child, but he knew it was infected by evil. Still he couldn't bring himself to hill it outright. The boy Gorion had taken would have been easy to kill. Why did it have to look innocence even when he could feel the evil in it? Sighing to himself, he placed it down. It was miles to the nearest city; the desert would do his work for him. It woke up and rubbed its eyes and looked at him with eerie golden eyes.

"Where's Sarrey?"

"He told me to leave you here. He doesn't want to see you anymore." Part of him felt horrible but breaking its spirit was kinder in the end, broken, it would die faster. It started crying and while was distracted he used a spell to teleport away.

Gorion watched the boy stare out the window, his eyes hollow and staring at nothing. It had been well over a month since Everard had delivered the news of the girl's death. Tears had come first, body racking sobs that caused the boy such weakness that he couldn't stand. Then silence had come. He had to be all but forced to eat and spent most of his time staring at nothing.

"Sarevok, we need to talk about your future."

"What does it matter, Gorion?" He sighed and sat down next to the boy, putting an arm around his shoulders. Since the rescue, he had come to care for the boy. He had seen signs of a quick wit, a very strong sense of protectiveness and responsibility and a yearning to learn. "I failed my sister. I will fail in everything else."

"You didn't fail; it was in no way your fault. No one could predict what would happen."

"I should have saved her, I would have saved her."

"You were wounded, so you did your best."

"She was so scared and crying for me. I told her I'd see her later. Where ever we go when we die, she probably hates me." Tears fell from his eyes.

"She knows you love her and wouldn't have let anything happen to her if you could have stopped it." He held the boy tight. This grief tore at his heart but gave him hope as it confirmed his belief the Bhaalspawn were truly children. Creatures of pure evil would not feel this, if Sarevok acted as evil as people claimed the children were, he would be rejoicing in the death of a rival. He knew the boy would need guidance and care and after the time he had spent with him, Gorion was ready to be the one to do so. "Everything will be okay."

Semanntha replaced the cloth on the child's forehead with a cold one. The girl had been badly burnt and almost dead when she was found. The child had been lucky her caravan had been pasting through. It was only by chance she had found the girl as she wasn't suppose to leave until the following week to met with her intended. She smiled to herself, the child had the blessing of Tymora and goddess willing the child would never be put in danger again. She would take care of the girl, who ever threw her away like refuse would never get another chance. Hopefully, her intended would not fight her on this. The girl moaned and her eyes fluttered. Semanntha was taken back by the golden color of her eyes, no human had eyes like that, maybe it was from her elven blood.

"Sarrey?" The girl croaked.

"Shush, here little one, drink this." She sat the girl up, holding a cup of water to her chapped lips. "Slowly little one." She wondered if this "Sarrey" was the one who had left the child in the desert. After a few sips she took the water away, not wanting the child to get sick. "What's your name, little one?"

"Anna." 


End file.
